Combined controller and switch lock



T. G. STILES.

COMBINED CONTROLLER AND SWITCH LOCK.

APPLICATION msu JULY 19, 1911.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. G. STILES. comBlNEn CONTROLLER AND swncHLocK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19.1917.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922'.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5 wventofc T. G. STILES. COMBINED CONTROLLER AND swlcH LOCK. APPLICATION FILED JULY 19,19I7.

1,405,693.- Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

4 vSHES-SHEET 3. v I

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

5 noauto@ T. G. STILES. coMBlNED CONTROLLER AND swlcH LocK. APPLICATION FILED JULY 19.1917.

so STA-TES 'P ATENT ori-"ice,

THOMAS GEORGE s'rLEs, or ARLINGTON, lNEW Jnnsri.

CGMINED CONTROLLER AND' SWITCH Loox.

To all @chrom t may concern Be it known that I, rlHoNMAsy GEORGE S'rrLns,` a citizen of they United States, and resident of Arlingtom-in the county'of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful yCombinedV Gontrollers` and Switch Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to selective controlling means, and more particularly to selective controlling means for railway switch and signal apparatus. A

A primary object of theA invention resides in the provision of means, preferably positively-actuated, which will properly control thc signalv circuits when the switch is in its various positions. I v

lilith this and other objects in view, such as will appear as the description progresses, the invention comprises the combination and :n'rang'ement of parts as set forth inand falling within the Vscope of the appended claims. c

'leferring' to the drawings:-

F l is a diagrammatic view of a speciiicy application of the inventionshowing the same associated with the usualv signal circuits Fig'. 2 is a plan -view of the main switch apparatus; n

Fig. Si is a side elevation, partly in section. of the same,` the section being taken on line of Fig. 2;'. Y

Fig'. is an enlarged plan view of tha portion of the appara-tus which includes the plunger lock;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line of Fig'. e showing' the plunger lock in its operative or lockingr position;

Fin'. G is an elevational view of one of the cams used .in operating Vthe switch mechanism Fig. 7 is a view, taken at right. angles to Fig'. (n-of the same'cam.;

Figs. 8 and 9 are elevational views'of the adiusting arms for thec'ams';

l* l0 is a frag'inental plan view of a inodried form .ot the switch mechanism; and

Fig. 1l is a sectional view taken on line lle-ll of Fig'. 10.

These drawings, in the hist nine figures thereof. illust-rate one use of the selective controlling apparatus,'but other uses of the Y Specification of Letters Patent. Paijnt'e'd Fel '7, Application filed July 19, 1917. Serial Noi specific apparatus can be madev to take care of various'phases of interlocking' and signaling conditions. Y v

The invention, in the application orf use of the same here shown, includes a polar'- ized relay which' is capable offoperatingA the proper signal circuit only when the railway switch is closed, and consists` furtherV of a pole changery for theY relay operated by the switch, and a` plunger lock forv the switch which operates inv conjunction! .with means for short-circnitinr the` relay, sol that the latter will be de-energized when the switch is unlocked. .f

Referring first to the diagram illustrated in F ig. l, the railway switch points are indicated by the reference character S, which points are adapted to bevr shifted to either of their positions, that is to say, toopen the'main line or the side track byl suitable means, here shown as a rod' Al, which extendsfto the tower. Extending between the switch points S is a cross bar B, from` which ay lock rod C extends. With this lock rod, a.- plunger lock D (fo-operates and is adapted tobe shifted manually tov engage' the lock rod to maintain the switch in either of its operative positions. A rodll extendsfrom the bar B and is connectedtoxand operates a pole changer F for the polarized relay G. This pole changer F consists, broadly, of a pair of movable switch` blades 1 andv 2, which are adapted to engage contacts 3, 4 and 5. Extending from the contact 3 isa. conductor 6, which is connected to the winding' of the magnet G, while extending from the other end of the` winding'is a conductor 7 which is connected tothe contact 4'. A conductor 8 extends' fromv the contact 5- and is joined to the conductor 6" at 9. From the stationary end of the switchblade l. a conductor 10 extends, the other end ofwhich terminates in a contact point lll, and in which conductor a battery l2 is interpolated. A conductor 1 3 extends from thefstationary end of the blade 2 and is connected toy a movable switch blade i4 which' is operated by the plunger lock l), being' connected thereto in a manner which will later appear in the description of the particularplunger lock 'Brand is `adapted to enga-gev the Yterminal 18, which isV carried by a conductor 19,Y the latter being joined at t0 Y the conductor 7.

Thus, when the switch points S are shifted into the positionillustrated inV Fig. '1, fory instance, a circuit will be completed through Y the magnet G, provided the plunger lock D is in its operative or lockingposition. This circuit will start `fromy the battery 12,

Vthrough the conductor .10,-the switchV blade 1, the contact Ofthe magnet .'r, the conductor 7, the contact I' 4, the switch blade 2, the conductor 13, the

3 the conductor 6, the winding switch blade 14, the contact 11, back to the `batteryrthrough the conductor .10. It will,

ofcourse, be understood that' in the drawings,the-plunger lock is in its inoperative position, but when it is in its operative posi'- tion, the switch blade 14 will engage the contact 11, .and the circuit just described will becompleted. This completion of the circuit will energize the magnet G and will attract ,a switch blade 21, which is part of an ordinary doublejpolarized relay used in connection with the usual or ordinary form of signal- 'a] p.aratus.. The attraction'of` this blade will close therswitch so that a circuit will be established from a battery or otherV suitablev source of electrical energy 22,

" through a conductor 23, through the operating mechanism of a signal H, through a conductor 24, through avswitch 25 which closesV concurrently with the switchl 21, through a conductor 26,through the switch 21, and a posite directions throughthe magnet G .and

change its polarity. The switch blade 21 will thus be repelled, and a second blade 29 will loe-attracted, so that this switch will be Vclosedand a circuit will be established from the battery 22,l through the conductor 23,

through the operating mechanism of theV signal I, through a conductor 30,l through a switch 31, closed concurrently with the switch 29, through the conductor 32, through the switch 29, through the conductor 33,'back to the battery, 4when a manually operable switchv 34,V in thev latter conductor, has been closed Thus, when the switch points S Vof the railway are in either of their operative positions, the proper signal will be cleared. However, during' the shifting of the switch points S from one position to the other, therelay G Vwill be short-circuited. This is due Y i tothe fact that the switch 17 Vis closed on the withdrawing of the plunger lock D from its A'engagement with the lock rod G. Therefore, even ifthe switch 14 remains closed for an instant afterthe plunger lock is withthe magnet Gr is not only short-circuitedV when the switch points S are in ,actual motion from one position tothe other, but also when they .are located in either of said posi-V tionsand the plunger lock is not in engagement with the lock rod.

The embodiment of thepole'changer illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9 includes a casing 35, to which a cover 36 is hinged. A square shaft 37 is rotatably mounted in this casing, and one end of the shaft Aextends through one side Yof the same. To this eX- tended' end Vof the shaft, a crank arm 38 is secured, which crank arm is connected,"at 39,V to the rod E, which has previously been described, and which is connected to the rail way switch points. f

Located withinthe casing 35 and extend Ving transversely thereof and parallel to the shaft 37 isfa plate 40, of insulating material. A pair of spring contacts, which correspond Yto the contacts 3 and 4 in Fig. 1,and are representedby the same characters in Figs. 2 ,and 3, are supported by the insulating plate 40 and are provided with binding posts 41 tacts, which correspond to the contacts 4 and 5in Fig. 1, and are represented by thenuf` merals 4 and 5, are also supported by ,this4 plate 40 and are provided with binding posts 43. A pair of movable resilient switch blades, corresponding to the switch blades 1 and 2V of Fig. 1 and indicatedby the same characters in Figs. 2 and 3, are supported by the plate 40, are provided with binding posts 44 and are adapted to move into engagement withthe contacts 3 and 4, or the contacts 4 and 5. Thus, the conductors 6 Vand 7 may, in actual practice, be connected shifted into engagement with'the contacts 3 and4, current will How through the magnet G in one direction, and when these switch blades are shifted into engagement withthe contacts 4 and 5, the direction of currenty will be reversed. It is, of course, obvious that instead'of having a common refV and 42, while a second pair of spring conturn wire from a pair of the contacts, two Y separate wires may be used, in a manner wh1ch will be obvious.l Y I The upper ends of the switch blades 1 and 2 are loosely engaged with an insulating plate 45, which is carried by a pair of rock swinging' bolts 67.

48 to vthe casing 35,' so that upon the movement -otthe rock arms, lthe switch blades land 2 will be. shifted into engagement with either pair of contacts. Y

In order that these roel;` arms may be proper-ly moved upon the movement oic the switch points S ot' the rails, and the consequent rotation of the shaft 87, I have provided a pair ot cams 49 and 50, mounted on the shaft 87. The cam 49 is provided with a cam slot 51 in which a roller 52, carried by the arm 46, operates, while the cam is provided with a. cam slot 58, in which a similar roller 54, carried by the arm 47, operates. These cams are so arranged on the shaft, that is to say, one in advance ot the other, that the cam 49 operates to move the roclr arms 46 and 47, and, consequently, the switch blades 1 and 2, while the cam 50 is idle. The Vcam 50 operates to move these switch blades, subsequently, while the cam 49 is idle. For instance, assiuning that the switch blades 1 and 2 are in engagement with the spring contacts 4 and 5 and the switch points S of the railway .areshitted The cam 49 will move the switch blades 1 and 2 out ot engagementwith the contacts 4 and 5 into a neutral position between these contacts and the contacts 3y and 4, 'at which time it will be rendered inoperative. The further movement of the switch point-s S will cause the cam 50 to come into operation and move the switch blades 1 and 2 into engagement with the contacts 8 and 4.

It is, ofcourse, desirableto have the cams adjustable on the shafht 37, and in order that such adjustment may be brought about, I have mounted on the shaft at each end thereof, anarm which rotates with the shaft and is provided at its upper end with a vertically elongated opening; 56, and at the end through which the shalt passes with ay hub 57. On thesehubs, the cams previously referred to are rotatably mounted. Extendingthrough the opening 56, in each of the arms 55, is a stud 58 which extends through an enlarged opening 59 in the adjacent cam and is provided with a threaded opening in one-ot its ends and with a nut 60 at its other end. Extending through the threaded VopeningV in each stud is a screw 8l, which is mounted in ears 62 on the .adjacent cam and is held in place by a. nut 63. By adjusting: these screws 61, the. cams may be rotated with relation to the arms 55, independently of each other, and, consequently, the relative positions of the cams may be varied.

Formed integral with the casing' 85 is a casingr 64 having' a cover 65 hinged thereon, at 68, and secured theretoby means of This casing' 64 is provided with an extension 88 having' a channel 69 therein and having` a cover 79 which is held in place by suitable: bolts 71 in opening is provided Vabove the channel 69 and is closed' normally by a cover 72, which is hinged at 73. Through this channel 69 the loch rod Xtends. 'I he plunger lock D, which preferably is rectangular in crosssection, is slidable in the extension 68 of the casing 64 and is adapted to pass through the notches 74 in the lock rod to locl; the latter.

Extending transversely ofthc casing G4 is a plate of insulating material, on which a pair of spaced spring contacts, corresponding to the contacts 11 and 18 which are illustratcd in Fig. 1 and are here indicated by the saine characters, are located. The ends of these contacts 11 and 18 are spaced from each other. and associated with the same are switch blades 14 and 17, corresponding to the blades illustrated in Fig'. 1. The contacts 11 and 18 are provided with binding posts 76 and 7 7, while the switch blade is provided with a binding' post. 78. In actual practice, the conductor 19 is attached to the binding post 7 6, the conductor 19 is attached to the binding post 7 7, while the conductors 13 and 15 are attached to the binding posts of the Switch blades 14 and 17, respectively, so that when the switch blade 14 is moved into enA gagement with the cont-act 11, the circuit will be closed through the magnet (lr, and when the switch blade 17 is moved into engagement with the contact 18, the magnet will be short-circuited. In order that the movement or the switch blades 14 and 17 may be produced and properly controlled. I have pivotcd a rock arm 79 tothe base ot the switch casing G4, at 80. and have attached the upper ends oinA the switch blades, loosely. to ablock ot insulatino` material 81 carried liv the roel: arm. in adjustable link 82 is pivoted midway between the ends oi' this roch arm 79 and to a vertically movable slide 88 which operates in suitable guideways formed in the wall of the casing' (34, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Upon the upward moimment of this slide 83, the rock arm 79 will be moved in one direction, so that the switch blade 14 will be moved into eng-g `gement with the contact l1. and will thus complete the circuit above referred to. llhen, however, the opposite vertical movement of the slide 88 takes place` the switch blade 14 will be moved out of en- ,Qaa'eiucnt with the contact. 1l, while the sw itch blade 17 will be moved into engagenient with the contact 18, thus short-circuitin;r the magnet (l. The. movements ot the slid'c 8.53 and, consequently. the opening' and or` the above-mentiontal circuits. are vcly produced and controlled by the -linger lock in its movements, which loclt positive thrustinto itQ locking position or into its inoperative position. The end ot this plunger loch extends through the wall or the casing Si and is provided, on its unface, with a canrtace 84. and on i v er surface with a cam face 85. Mounted on the slide 83 is a pair of rollers86 and 87,

.between which the plunger lock D extends, so

that the upper member 86 of the pair will ride upon the upper surface ofthe plunger lock, and the lower member 87 oi?V the pair will ride upon the lower surface thereof.

4Because ot the tact that the slide 83 is vertically movable, the rollers 86 and 87 will move over the cam faces 84 and 85, respecn tively, during the reciprocating movement ot the plunger lock, whereby apositive recfiprocatory movement will be limparted to 'said slide 83. Thus, when the plunger lock is thrust into its locking position, it will raise the slide 83 to closethe circuit, as above indicated, and when it is retracted,l the slide will move to its lower position and be etfeet-ive to break the previously closed circuit and closee` the switch to short-,circuit theY -jacent to the extension 68 'and may, of course, as illustrated in the drawings,

formed integral Vwith the same or separate, if desired. The plunger lock D extends f into the casing 88, in a manner similar to Vthaitin which it extends into the beforedescribed casing 64. This casing 88 is provided with a cover 89 which is hinged at 9.0, and mounted within the casing 88 is a bar 91 having its upper and lower faces covered with insulating material. Secured to the upper side of the bar`9l, by means of a pair of binding posts 92 and 93, is a spring contact 94 which corresponds to the conta-ct 18 in the form illustrated Figs. 4 and 5. The

Vbinding post 92 is insulated by a suitable washer 95 ot insulating material from the contact 94.V This binding post 92 is electrically connected tto a switch blade 96 which corresponds to the switch blade 17, in the formvillustra-ted in Figs. 4 and 5. A second spring contact 97 is secured to the under tace ot the bar 91 by binding posts98 and 99, the former ot which is insulated Vfrom the contact by a suitable washer 100 of insulating material. This contact 97 corresponds to the contact 11in the form illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. rI"he binding post 98 is electrically connected to the switch blade 101. Thus, when this switch blade 96 is shifted to engage the contact 94, the magnet G will be short-cirouited, but when the blade 101 is shifted to engage the contact 97, the magnet will be energized.

In order that the movement of the switch Vblades 96 and 101 may be produced, I have provided aY vertically movable slide 102,

which Vis normally held in its Vuppermost position by a pair of springs 103. This slide carries, adjacent to its upper end, a block 104 of insulating material with which one end of the switch blade 96' is loosely engaged. VThe movement of this slide will operate Vthe switch blade 96 Vto close the proper circuit.

The movement of this slide 101 and the Y consequent opening and closing ot the circuits described, is controlled by the plunger lock D, and to produce this control of the slide, I have provided a roller 105 which is carried by the slide 102 and have formed a cam face 106 on the end of the plunger lock D,'so that upon the inward movement of the latter, that is to say, upon its locking movement, the riding otV the cam tace 106 over the roller 105 will positively move the latter, together with the slide on which it is mounted, downwardly, and will, consequently, complete thecircuit with the contact 97. VlVhen, however, theplunger lock is withdrawn, the springs 103 will move the slide upwardly, opening the previously closed circuit and closing the circuit with the contact 94.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11,

a plurality of switch blades and contacts are shown which may be used to close any desired signal or similarY circuits. V l/Vhat` I claim is Y 1. The combination with a railway switch and its operating means, of means torcon- `trolling a plurality ot electric circuits in-f lcluding means for closing the circuits, a

selector operated by the switch for automatically controlling said closing means, and manually operated means :tor rendering said closing means inoperative during the movements of the switch.

2. The combination with a railway switch and its'operating means, of means for controlling a plurality of traiic signal circuits including means for closing the circuits, a

selector operated by the switch for autoi matically controlling said closing means, and manually operated means for rendering said closing' means inoperative during the movements of the switch.

3. The combination with a railway switch and its operating means, ot means torcontrolling a plurality of electric circuits including means for closing said circuits, means, operated by the switch, for rendering the closing means incondition to be oper-V ated, manually Voperated means for locking the switch, and means associated with said locking means for rendering the Vclosing means inoperative exceptwhen Vthe switch is locked.

4. The combination with a railway switch and its operating means, otmeans for controllinga plurality of traliic signal circuits cuits including a polarized relay for closing includingmeans for closing said circuits, means, operated the switch, for yrendering the closing means in condition to be operated, manually operatednieans for locking t-he switch, and means associated with said locking means for rendering the closing means inoperative except when the switch is locked.

5. The combination with a railway switch and its operating means, of meansv for controlling a plurality of traffic signal circuits including means for closing said circuits, means, operated by the switch, for rendering the closing means in condition to be oper'- ated, manually operatedmeans for locking the switch, and means operated by the locking means for rendering the closing means inoperative except when the switch is locked.

6. The combination with a circuit controller, of means tor actuating the same which embody a pair of oscillatory cams and a screw-adjustment for adjusting the cams with relation to each other in accordance with the throw of the switch points.

7. The combination with a circuit controller which embodies a plurality of pairs of spaced contacts, and a plurality of movable blades each arranged to engage either pair of contacts, of means for actuating the blades which includes a pair of relatively adjustable oscillatory cams, said adjustment being accomplished by a tangentially disposed screw, and common means for oscillating said cams.

8. The combination with a pair of railway switch rails, of a circuit controller, a rock shaft, a pair of cams on said shaft each effective forgiving separate movement to the circuit controller at different times, a tangentially disposed screw Jfor adjusting one cam relatively to the other, and connecting means from the switch for actuating the rock shaft. V

9. The combination with a railway switch kand its operating means, of means for controlling a plurality of tratlic signal circuits including a polarized relay, a pole changer operated by the switch, and means for short circuiting the relay except when the switch is in locked position.

10. The combination with a railway switch and its operating means, of means for controlling a plurality of traffic signal circuits including a polarized relay for closing the -circuits, a pole changer in circuit with the relay comprising a plurality of contacts, a plurality of movable switch blades, a pair of cams for giving successive movements to said switch blades, and an operating connection between the cams and the railway switch.

11. The combination with a railway switch and its operating means, of means for controlling a plurality of traic signal cirthe circuits, a pole changer in circuit with the relay comprising a plurality ot contacts, a plurality of movable switch blades, a pair cica-ins tor giving successive movements to said switch blades, an operatingconnection between the cams and the railway switch, and means for short circuiting the relay during the movement of the railway switch.

12. The combination with a railway switch and its operating mechanism, ot manually operated means for locking the switch in its operative positions, a polarized relay for closing a traffic signal circuit, a pole changer for said relay, and means for short circuiting the relay when the switch is unlocked.

13. The combination with a railway switch and its operating mechanism, of manually operated means for locking the switch in its operative positions, a polarized relay for closing a traic signal circuit, a pole changer for said relay, and means, operated by the switch locking means, for short circuiting the relay when the switch is unlocked.

14:. The combination with a railway switch and its operating mechanism, of means for locking the switch in its operative positions including a lock rod connected to the switch, a manually operated plunger lock adapted to engage the lock rod, a relay for closing a trailic signal circuit, means for energizing said relay, and means, operated by the plunger lock, for short circuiting the relay when the plunger lock is inoperative to lock the switch.

15. The combination with a railway switch and its operating mechanism, of a polarized relay, a pole changer for the relay operated by the switch, said' pole changer comprising a plurality of oppositely arranged contacts, a switch blade arranged between the same, a pair of cams arranged to impart sequential movements to said switch blade, means for adjusting the cams to vary their relation to each other, and means connected to the railway switch to actuate the cams.

16. The combination with a railway switch and its operating mechanism, of a lock rod connected to the switch, a polarized tra-ic-signal controlling relay, a pole changer in circuit with said relay and operated by the switch, a plunger lock adapted to engage the lock rod to maintain the switch in its operative position, means controlled by the plunger lock for completing the circuit through the relay when the lock is in its operative position and means controlled by the lock for short circuiting the relay when the lock is in its operative position.

17. The combination with a railway signal apparatus which includes a signal control circuit, of means for opening and closing a pair of breaks in said circuit, which means B' Y Y 1,405,693

embodies a. plunger lock controller effective Signed at New York, in the County of New V for Controlling one of said breaks and a York, and State of New York, A. D. 19177.V

switchV selective' circuit controller connected Y THOMAS 'GEORGE STILES. to the switch pontseeetw'fe to control the Witnesses: other of Said breaksythe Closing of both said l C. J. BUTLER,

breaks being essential to clearing of a signal. CHAs. F. DANE. 

